Pumpkin Cream Puff and TRANS FAT FACTS

Do you use Pepperidge Farm Frozen Pastry? They contain trans-fats and high fructose corn syrup...They use so much trans-fat they list it twice!

INGREDIENTS: UNBLEACHED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FOLIC ACID], WATER, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE SHORTENING (SOYBEAN AND COTTONSEED OILS COLORED WITH BETA CAROTENE), CONTAINS 2 PERCENT OR LESS OF: SALT, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WHEAT GLUTEN, DISTILLED MONOGLYCERIDES (FROM HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL) AND SOY LECITHIN.

One reason why trans-fats are so bad is that they interfere with our cell's ability to metabolize OMEGA 3 fats. Our brain = 60% fat. Trans-fats damage cell membranes of vital structures of our brain and nerve cells.
Imagine this: We have ?parking spots? that are specifically designed to receive certain molecules. When OMEGA 3?s ?park?, it fills assigned parking spot and contributes to the health of the membrane. However, if trans fatty acid "cars" come along, they try to squeeze into a space that doesn't fit. A biochemical traffic jam occurs and the right cars can?t get to where they need to be.

2 problems occur:
1. The molecular misfit ?car? is left to wander throughout the body, causing damage in other places.
2. These misfit ?cars? keep pushing their way in, damaging them and the ?cars? around them. This also changes the cellular membrane and the right ?cars?, the healthy nutrients, no longer fit.

Hydrogenated fats can weaken cell membranes, keeping out needed nutrients and also allowing harmful ones to leak in. Causing inflammation (which will increase cholesterol)...cholesterol isn't the bad guy. Think of cholesterol as the firefighters that are trying to put out the fire (inflammation). We need to heal inflammation, NOT take a prescription drug that kills the firefighters. That is isn't going to help...put out the fire!



"Puffs":
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
1/2 cup vanilla egg white or whey protein
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin spice
Stevia glycerite (to taste)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate the eggs and reserve the yolks for another recipe. In a large bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until VERY stiff. Then add the whey. Using a spatula, gradually fold the pumpkin and spices into the egg white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. If you want a sweeter puff, add in 1 tsp stevia. Place round balls of dough onto a GREASED baking sheet (or a mini muffin tin works great). Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Keep oven shut, and leave the puffs in there for another 5 minutes or until cool. Makes 24 puffs.

FILLING:
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
8 oz cream cheese or coconut cream
3 TBS Vanilla Almond Milk
¼ cup Just Like Sugar (or stevia glycerite to taste)

If using butter, brown the butter in a sauce pan (stir constantly on high heat until light golden brown ? it makes such a difference!!!). Once brown add the cream cheese, almond milk, and sweetener to taste. Mix until creamy. Put into a large Ziplock bag or pastry filler and allow to cool for at least 2 hours, it will thicken. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and use to pipe into puffs.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 2 puffs)
Traditional Pumpkin Puff = 235 calories, 12.8 carbs, 0.7g fiber
"Healthified" Pumpkin Puff = 160 calories, 1.4 carbs, trace fiber

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